Col. John W. Henderson Video game illustrates Omaha ...Check out this new video game…It’s fall and you’re in charge of scheduling water releases from two dams along an inland

Growth and development at Oahe Dam and reservoir seeded by partnerships

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District

Col. John W. Henderson takes the district reins

Video game illustrates challenge of river

management

Omaha District has its own Marathon Man

September 2015 – Vol. 3, Issue 3

WATER MANAGEMENT

2 Managing a river is dam challenging… Check out this new video game…It’s fall and you’re in charge of scheduling water releases from two dams along an inland waterway. Along the river and in the reservoirs upstream from the dams, you have communities depending on the water for everyday life. The river and reservoirs are a source for drinking water, irrigation, fishing, boating, camping, and attracting and sustaining wildlife. Communities grew with farmers who found rich fertile soil and access to commerce through the rivers…

SPOTLIGHT4 Persistence, patience, inspiration of marathon running - These are the first two

articles of a four part series on Omaha District Electrical Engineer, Joe Chamberlain, who competed in the Boston Marathon in 2014 and is training to run the New York City Marathon this November. How do you handle the stress of your job? Or your daily life for that matter…For Joe Chamberlain, an electrical engineer, who designs electrical systems for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District, his answer is “run”. Not run away, just “run it off” or “run it out”. He started running when he was 10 and he’s not stopping yet.

Q&A WITH THE COMMANDER8 What are some personal characteristics our new commander, Col. John W.

Henderson, most admires and hopes to find in the Omaha District workforce? His answer: - “Growing up in rural South Dakota, about the highest compliment that one could bestow on another person included “hard worker” and “knows their business.” These terms reflect a collective respect for work ethic, character, competence, and commitment… “Traits that resonate with me,” he said.

SPOTLIGHT12 Omaha District Project Manager, Steve Rothe, retires after nearly four decades

of public service… For the past 36 years, Steve Rothe’s contribution to the Omaha District’s ecosystem restoration mission has been second to none. Drawing on his undergraduate and graduate-level education in Biology and experience as a Biology Teacher with the Peace Corps in Kenya, Steve launched his career with the Corps as an Environmental Resources Specialist in the Environmental Analysis Branch of the Omaha District’s Planning Division in 1979.

16 CASTLE KEEP USACE Architect of the Year Andy C. Temeyer of the Omaha District, enjoys working

with a team of highly skilled engineers, designers, and professionals to deliver high performance and sustainable solutions. “The opportunities within USACE to do interesting and unique projects all over the world are limitless.”

On the cover: Col. John W, Henderson, Commander of the Omaha District, visits Fort Carson. Photos by Harry Weddington

IN THIS ISSUE. . .

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District 1616 Capitol Ave., Suite 9000 Omaha Neb. 68102 Toll free: (800) 835-5971Email: [email protected]: (402) 995-2417Fax: (402) 995-2421 Commander: Col. John W. HendersonDeputy Commander: Lt. Col. Michael SextonPublic Affairs Chief: Maggie OldhamManaging Editor: Kevin QuinnContributors: Al Barrus - Writer/Photographer

Cheryl Moore - Writer/PhotographerEileen Williamson - Writer/Photographer

Harry Weddington - PhotographerJeremy Bell - Design/Layout/Photographer

Omaha Outlook is a quarterly publication produced by the Public Affairs Office for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District, in accordance with AR 360-1. This publication is produced for the Omaha District workforce and external audiences including other Corps’ districts and stakeholders within the Omaha District’s area of responsibility. Content is aimed at highlighting what, why and how the district fulfills its mission.This publication is available on the district’s public website (www.nwo.usace.army.mil) and has a limited print circulation of approximately 500 with distribution in district offices and via U.S. Mail.Content is prepared in accordance with the Associated Press Stylebook and the Omaha Outlook Style Guide. Contributions are welcomed and highly encouraged. However, the editor reserves the right to make editorial changes to any submitted material as deemed necessary.The views and opinions expressed are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Army or the U.S. Department of Defense.

First on behalf of my family, please accept our sincere thanks for the warm welcome we received from the Omaha District team and the greater Omaha community. We appreciate all the time and energy you put into the leader transition and our sponsorship on to this great team. We also want to express our gratitude to Col. Cross and his family for their 25 years of dedicated service to our Nation and their leadership to the Omaha District for the past three years. We wish the Cross Family all the best in their future endeavors and welcome them to the Retired Omaha District Employee Organization (RODEO).

It is our great honor to be assigned to serve with the Omaha District team as well as

our supported units, partners, and stakeholders throughout the Missouri River basin states. Please know that I am totally committed to the success of our team and the success of our projects.

We were challenged with a historic workload again in fiscal year 2015, and thanks to a lot of hard work by this team, our total execution for the year was $1.1B. The Omaha District has a well-established history and reputation for delivering these projects to the highest standards for quality and efficiency – an accomplishment for which you should all be very proud. This is the basis for the world class reputation that the District has established over the past several decades.

Clearly, this is the busiest time of year. As we all know, teamwork is key to our success. The key to successful teams coming together to accomplish any mission is our ability to create a culture and climate of integrity, dignity and respect, quality in all things, and disciplined execution. This climate is created through the conscious decision by all of us to contribute our best efforts consistently, to be trusted professionals in all things, and to make deliberate efforts to show respect for those with whom we serve within the District, our stakeholders, partners, and our vertical team. We all need to put forth effort to be great team-mates to ensure the success of our projects during this extremely busy time. Thanks in advance for your contributions to our team and to the long-term success of our projects.

The continued successful management of our authorized projects for the Nation remains paramount; “how” we deliver these projects and services is equally important. As trusted Army professionals, we must do all things with an attitude of absolute professionalism, transparency, and technical excellence in every part of our business. The strong relationships that we build through our proven performance and demonstrated integrity to the people we serve is vital to the long-term success of the projects and programs that we manage. We all play a critical role here to ensure that our standards of service and conduct are exemplary.

Continued on page 11

Teamwork is key to success

OmahaUSACE www.nwo.usace.army.mil 1

MESSAGE FROM THE COMMANDER

John W. HendersonColonel

Omaha District Commander

It’s fall and you’re in charge of scheduling water releases from two dams along an inland waterway. Along the river and in the reservoirs upstream from the dams, you have communities depending on the water for everyday life. The river and reservoirs are a source for drinking water, irrigation, fishing, boating, camping, and attracting and sustaining wildlife. Communities grew with farmers who found rich fertile soil and access to commerce through the rivers. Dams generate power for the communities along the river, and the river supplies

water for various industries. Dams also help these communities by minimizing the damages caused by frequent flooding during spring thaw and rainfall.

The job is challenging.The river begins in the mountains where snowfall

and snowmelt can be affected by warm or cool spring temperatures. If temperatures are warm, early spring rainfall can accelerate snowmelt and if temperatures are cool, snowmelt may be delayed or if snow accumulates into early summer, runoff could be delayed and extend later into the summer.

Students helped beta test the river basin balancer game answering questions such as what do you think the river would be like with no dams or without operating the dams for specific purposes.

2 September 2015 |

WATER MANAGEMENT By EILEEN WILLIAMSON, Public Affairs Specialist, Omaha District

Managing a river is Dam challenging

In 2013, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Omaha District Leadership Development Class developed a video game that invites players to plan and make releases from two inland waterway dams.

The Omaha District, with class members as project managers, awarded a contract to the U.S. Army Game Design studio to design the game.

The game was beta tested by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers employees across the country as well as in fourth and fifth grade classrooms in Bellevue and La Vista, Nebraska.

“The hardest ones to keep green are ones where water is needed,” said a student beta tester. “If it’s too high, you can let water out. But you can’t control the weather or make more water.”

Another student said “I just tried to keep things green and hope they were red from too much water instead of not enough.”

“Watching the students play the game, hearing their frustration when weather doesn’t cooperate with their goals, and seeing them learn the challenge of balancing the authorized purposes was the grand finale for developing the game,” said Michelle Schultz, the game’s project manager.

The game allows players to take charge of river operations and experience the unique challenges presented when managing reservoir operations in a variety of weather conditions across a geographically diverse basin. Like the real world, the weather forecast isn’t always accurate presenting an additional challenge.

“The game’s features were created just for the game and don’t replicate any places, conditions, or events but hopefully will give the public a glimpse of the challenges water managers face,” said Schultz.

The game is based on the authorized purposes for which the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates its many dams. Although navigation is a purpose in the game, these dams do not have locks to support barge traffic along the length of the river. The game features 14 items that are affected by release decisions. The items include: flood control with two towns, one with a levee surrounding it that can be affected by high water levels; navigation with a barge on the lower reach of the river; water quality, supply, and irrigation with two intake structures, a water treatment plant, and a farm; hydropower at each dam; fish and wildlife with a bird nesting location; and recreation including boat ramps, campgrounds, and playgrounds.

Like all USACE water managers, the goal for players is to achieve the maximum multi-purpose benefits for which the reservoirs are operated.

“The game doesn’t just teach about water or the river management,” said one of the teachers who hosted the game’s beta test in her classroom. “It includes history, relationships, cause and effect, and even social studies because of the laws that determine how the dams are operated. We hope to include it in our classroom activities,” she added.

Students who beta tested the River Basin Balancer Game reported that sometimes its not fair because the game doesn’t let you control the weather and you can’t get water when there isn’t any rain. (Photos by Eileen Williamson)

The River Basin Balancer Game offers insight into an inland waterway and a system of reservoirs, which are operated with a goal for serving each of the benefits, flood control, navigation, hydropower, irrigation, water supply, recreation, fish and wildlife, and water quality, for which many USACE reservoirs are authorized and constructed.

www.nwo.usace.army.mil 3OmahaUSACE

WATER MANAGEMENT

PERSISTENCE, PATIENCE, INSPIRATION OF MARATHON RUNNING(PART 1)

This is the first article in a four part series on Omaha District Electrical Engineer, Joe Chamberlain, who competed in the Boston Marathon in 2014 and is training to run the New York City Marathon this November.

August 3, 2015

How do you handle the stress of your job? Or your daily life for that matter…

For Joe Chamberlain, an electrical engineer, who designs electrical systems for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District, his answer is “run”. Not run away, just “run it off” or “run it out”.

He started running when he was 10. He was a sprinter in junior high school and then transitioned to running cross country and distance on the track before he graduated.

As a college student at South Dakota State University (SDSU), Chamberlain was a walk-on athlete for the cross country team, where his regular weekly running routine became too much

for him as a freshman. Knowing he’s been running nearly 80 miles a week lately, you might wonder how many miles a week is too much (110-120 miles a week), but for a college student, it led him to take a semester off from participating with the junior varsity team.

“It wasn’t too long into the semester that I realized I was more stressed just studying and running was my stress reliever,” said Chamberlain.

“I returned to the team after that semester. I made it to the varsity team and once I graduated, I felt like I no longer needed to run to compete,” said Chamberlain. “My friends thought differently so the peer pressure was still there to enter road races and be competitive.”

In 1999, Chamberlain took a break from competitive running. “Well, I was still competing with my stress but I did not enter races even just to finish,” he said. But before taking his break, he finished the Austin Marathon in Austin, Texas with a time of 2:33 at age 38.

For the next 14 years, Chamberlain ran when he felt like running and because he felt like running. He says, “I’m a competitive person, so sometimes I need to be told when to let up”.

Things began to change again however, in 2010 with the loss of his father.

“I still remember that day. I came to work and the weather seemed calm. I remember telling a coworker that it was a nice calm day and was quickly corrected and told how windy it was. I looked out the window and the American flag outside the building was out horizontal.”

Although his father was in South Dakota, similar weather conditions turned on him while he was burning some brush on their land near Arlington. His father was overcome by the flames and succumbed to his injuries two weeks later.

Above:(Courtesy Photo) In 1978, the South Dakota State University Cross Country Team won the NCAA Division II National title. Chamberlain, a 17-year-old freshman is at far left. Six of the runners in the photo, including Chamberlain, were NCAA Division II All-American. Two of the runners in the photo ran in the Olympic trials including fourth from the right, Dick Beardsley, who finished second in the Boston Marathon in 1982 with a time of 2:08:53. The story of Beardsley’s second place finish to Alberto Salazar is known as the “Duel in the Sun”.

4 September 2015 |

SPOTLIGHT By EILEEN WILLIAMSON, Public Affairs Specialist

“Running helped get me through it… well, you never get past it. But it helped me cope,” says Chamberlain.

Running kept him “running” for the next three years but Chamberlain believed he was approaching an age where doctors were prescribing his friends and classmates pills for every ailment.

“I didn’t want that. I set out and interviewed doctors with a primary goal, get me healthy but don’t medicate me,” he said. He said he felt overweight, which at 183 pounds is probably ideal for some, but it was not healthy for Chamberlain. He felt sluggish, tired and the weekly miles were there but not in the numbers he felt they should be.

I learned to improve my nutrition. I didn’t have to drastically change my diet, (he says while eating a cheeseburger and French fries) but increasing proteins and decreasing glutens helped me improve nutrition and eating habits and, in general, my health.

Work was a bit more stressful too. Many coworkers had endured several months fighting flooding along the Missouri River in 2011. Then came talk of a government shutdown in 2012 and the unknowns of what would happen with sequestration and by 2013, coworkers were receiving furlough notices.

Though work was sometimes stressful, for Chamberlain, improved health meant he started feeling better, his weekly mileage was gradually increasing from 25 to 30 to 40 to 50 – it kept going up.

“I knew my miles were increasing and I knew I felt healthier but I wasn’t doing it as part of any specific goal,” said Chamberlain.

During that time, Chamberlain, like many others, entered the realm of social media. “I had this great group of supporters online. There was a bit of prodding and teasing. But the thing about

runners and social media… It helps hold you accountable.”

One day a comment to a Facebook post might be, “What? You didn’t run today!” and the next was “I know. You ran six miles again today.”

“Wehrspann Lake was my safe place. I could go and run six miles on my own, it was quiet and I was with myself. Then, one day, I ran 10 miles just to stick it to someone who got smart on one of my

posts,” said Chamberlain.He found different kinds of motivation from others online. Some might see an

athlete setting a world record as motivation, but one of the people

who inspired his return to running most was Maria, a Facebook

friend in New Jersey who was in a running forum with Chamberlain.

Maria started running because someone had commented on one of her photos that she had a big butt… “Really? Why do people tear each other down like that? She’s a mom, she has three kids,” said Chamberlain. Maria set a goal to run a marathon. “Truthfully, I wondered if she could do it. I mean

there are premiere athletes who crash and don’t finish marathons,” said Chamberlain. “But Maria took my excuses away. She finished the New York Marathon in 2012 and the New Jersey Marathon in 2013.”

Chamberlain described the motivation he gets from others… “It is seeing the people who come the farthest that are the ones who have the greatest achievement.” When he noticed he was running about 60 miles a week, and taking longer runs of 15 to 18 miles just to test himself, he decided he needed a goal.

Continued on page 6

Above: (Courtesy Photo) Chamberlain ran Grandma’s Marathon with a goal to qualify for the Boston Marathon. Grandma’s Marathon starts near Two Harbors, Minn. and runs along the scenic north shore of Lake Superior where the S.S. William A. Irvin, once a flagship of the U.S. Steel Great Lakes Fleet, is docked on the waterfront.


SPOTLIGHT

PERSISTENCE, PATIENCE, INSPIRATION OF MARATHON RUNNING (PART 2 )

September 1, 2015On April 15, 2013, Joe Chamberlain was doing

what many runners do; following friends’ progress as they participate in elite running events.

He had two friends running the Boston Marathon: Kaci Lickteig, an Omaha runner who recently ran the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run finishing second among females with a time of 19:20:31. Lickteig was running with her mother; and Brad Cordts, an attorney, a U.S. Navy Judge Advocate and past member of the South Dakota State University Track and Field team with Chamberlain.

Lickteig and her mother were still in the finishers corral getting their finisher’s medals when the first bomb exploded. Lickteig kept their pace and pushed her mother to try to finish in less than four hours despite cramping in her legs. They crossed under the time clock at 4:02. The first bomb exploded at 4:09:44.

Cordts was running his 18th consecutive Boston Marathon. His target time was also four hours, not one of his better goals and so he told his wife she didn’t need to wait for him at the finish. She had joined him for the weekend and returned home. Cordts was less than a half mile from the finish when the bombs went off. He was grateful his wife was not waiting at the finish. In 2015, he broke his streak when deployments prevented him from qualifying for his 20th consecutive run.

A patriotic person, Chamberlain’s friends’ stories motivated him. He felt better physically. Emotionally, he felt empowered. He set his sights on running the Boston Marathon in 2014.

The Boston Marathon is not an easy race to enter, much less run. Registration is in September. In order to qualify to enter, Chamberlain had to finish

a full marathon with a time of less than 3:30 before registration opened in five months.

The next marathon on the calendar was in Lincoln, Nebraska, but it had sold out in record time in early January. The peer pressure from his friends was back as was his “no quit” attitude. He wouldn’t accept excuses not to qualify.

On May 19, 2013, he ran the Papillion Half Marathon, finishing third overall with a time of 1:24:31. It was his first race in 14 years. Three days later, he received confirmation that he was entered to run the Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota on June 22. His goal: Qualify for Boston.

He finished Grandma’s with a time of 2:53:59, easily beating his required qualification time of 3:30. Of course, not all qualifiers get in but, beating his qualification time by more than 30 minutes helped.

When he finished the races, some people commented about his times and his age but

he insists age has nothing to do with accomplishment. He goes back to what he said before. “It is seeing the people who come the farthest that are the ones who have the greatest achievement.”

His advice to runners looking for inspiration, “Go watch a marathon and watch all the late finishers too. Those people are just as inspirational… Watching

people strive for their dreams. They have so much heart, maybe MORE than the champions.”

On September 9, he took a day off from work to register and by the end of the day; he received confirmation that his entry into the Boston Athletic Association Marathon had been accepted.

Because his progression from first race in 14 years to qualifying for and registering for the Boston Marathon all took place within five months, it may sound easier than it was.

Near the end of September, he developed patellar tendonitis and began physical therapy and working

Photo by Joe Chamberlain: The 2014 Boston Marathon was about many different things for many people.

6 September 2015 |

SPOTLIGHT By EILEEN WILLIAMSON, Public Affairs Specialist

with a coach for motivational therapy to push past the pain and be ready for Boston.

At the same time, many coworkers were receiving furlough notices. Sometimes, rest from running when your mind is not at rest stirs the stress.

One item of stress was lessened when the Government shutdown ended in late October.

Chamberlain closed out 2013 having run more than 3,200 miles for the year, including down time to heal an injury.

From January until April, Chamberlain trained, went to physical therapy, and persisted to make it to Boston.

On Monday, April 21, 2014, Chamberlain ran the Boston Marathon… and a little bit more.

“My coach kept telling me run the middle of the road,” said Chamberlain. “I thought she was being metaphorical. I’m an engineer, I should have thought about the tangents on the turns. But, when I started hurting, I decided to have fun… including giving high fives and obliging a few free kisses in Wellesley.”

Wellesley is the halfway point, which means clearing a significant psychological hurdle. But before runners get to Wellesley they must pass the “Scream Tunnel,” a wall of sound and offers of free kisses kept up all race long by the students and faculty from Wellesley College.

Chamberlain finished the Boston Marathon, having run not 26.2 miles but 26.43 with a time of 3:01:01.

Reflecting on the training and the run itself he says, I got so much help and inspiration from others.

“I tried to quit, but some very special friends wouldn’t let me. And finally I just gave into the dream as if caught in its gravitational pull. I

immersed myself in it and all the fear dropped away. It was hard and grueling and difficult, but it was worth it times 100,” said Chamberlain.

On running Boston one year after the race was attacked, he said, “It primarily represents to me… runners and Americans taking back the race. We had a moment of silence for the fallen from last

year before the race. Then the military did a fly over of the starting line. Brought tears to many eyes including mine. It also represents not giving up on a dream when the chips are down. I had a hard time training through a very painful injury. I came close to quitting several times except some very special people stopped me. I could not have done it without them and without all my friends.”

When he got to work on Wednesday, April 23, Chamberlain had an email from the Chief of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Joe, Thank you for your service

to our Army and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Congratulations for running the Boston Marathon! That’s terrific news! Very impressive indeed.

Thank you for setting such a great example and inspiration for so many others.We’re fortunate to have you on our team.I’m very proud of you!Thank you,Tom BostickLTG, US Army53rd Chief of EngineersEssayons...Building Strong...Army Strong!

But, as Chamberlain left his hotel in downtown Boston, a song began to play… Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York” and thus began his next challenge.

Above: (Courtesy Photo) Chamberlain ran Grandma’s Marathon with a goal to qualify for the Boston Marathon. Grandma’s Marathon starts near Two Harbors, Minn. and runs along the scenic north shore of Lake Superior where the S.S. William A. Irvin, once a flagship of the U.S. Steel Great Lakes Fleet, is docked on the waterfront.


SPOTLIGHT

Q What are some personal characteristics

you most admire and are looking for from the Omaha District workforce?

A : Growing up in rural South Dakota, about the highest compliment that one could bestow on another person included “hard worker” and “trustworthy.” These terms reflect a collective respect for work ethic, character, competence, and commitment… traits that resonate with me. These are also the personal traits that create trust between team members which translate into unit integrity, consistent mission accomplishment, and the enduring trust of our Nation.

Q

You live your life devoted to the seven army values…Loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage…Is one of those more important to you than the others?

A : It can be argued that integrity serves as the basis for the other six values; therefore I’d advocate that this is the greater value of the seven. Others would argue against this, and I would welcome their challenge to debate this topic any time.

Q Who is your favorite author?

A : Ayn Rand (Altas Shrugged, The

Fountainhead).

Q What is your favorite place to visit?

A : The Black Hills of South Dakota – family,

fishing, hiking, skiing, hunting.

Q Who inspired you the most in your life?

A :I have always been inspired by Dr. Martin

Luther King, Jr. Here was a leader worthy of emulation. He was committed to a cause higher than himself, even at great personal risk. He selflessly dedicated his life to the accomplishment of an honorable mission. His conviction was

The Deer Island PDT, Omaha District’s 2014 Project Delivery Team of the Year, included Corps and Iowa Department of Natural Resources staff who collaborated on a project which not only maintained a self scouring channel, but created shallow water and emergent sandbar habitat. (Photo by Jeremy Bell)

WITH COL. HENDERSON

8 September 2015 |

SPOTLIGHT By KEVIN QUINN, Public Affairs Specialist, Omaha District

rooted in strong character and the success of his team, not personal gain. He helped to convince an entire Nation that people should be judged by the “content of their character.” His accomplishments have had an enduring positive impact on the collective character of our Nation, and his legacy continues to inspire us all to be better people. I cannot think of a better role model.

Q What is the greatest challenge you ever faced?

A :The greatest professional challenge was Operation Iraqi

Freedom 06-08, which was a 15-month deployment to Iraq while serving as a Battalion XO and S3. This particular deployment challenged my family and I in ways that left us forever changed, and helped us to grow stronger through shared adversity.

Q What is your greatest achievement?

A : To be honest, I think it has to be convincing Amy to marry me. She is certainly the heart and soul of

our family (Team Henderson), and has truly enabled any personal or professional achievement on my part.

Q What is your favorite music? Continued on page 10

Col. John Henderson and staffers tour Fort Carson(Photo by Harry Weddington); below, Commander gives award to Susie Brunotte(Photo by Jeremy Bell)


SPOTLIGHT

A : Classic Rock, the blues,

and traditional folk music.

Q What are your hobbies?

A : When we get time, I love to fish with our kids, golf with

friends, and walk with Amy.

Q Favorite sport?

A : Football… just a spectator these days though. I come from a family that roots for the

Denver Broncos, therefore I am a Kansas City Chiefs fan.

(Continued from page 9)

Col. Henderson gives awards to James Pakiz (upper left) and Matt Krajewski (upper right); he looks on as Lt Col. Michael Sexton receives an award from Dave Ray.(Photos by Jeremy Bell)

10 September 2015 |

SPOTLIGHT

With this in mind, I’d like to publically highlight some of the exemplary performances for which our team members have been recognized over the past few months.

Mr. Andy Temeyer - selected as the 2015 USACE Architect of the Year.

Mr. Rick Noel - selected as the 2015 USACE Real Estate Professional of the Year.

Ms. Linda Burke and Mr. Tom Tracy - selected to receive the 2015 USACE Enterprise Award for outstanding legal accomplishments.

Mr. James Pakiz - selected to receive the 2015 Manning Seltzer Award for exceptional handling of a legal matter.

The Mountainview Construction Project, Buckley Air Force Base (AFB), Aurora, Colorado, Project Delivery Team (PDT) for being selected as the 2015 USACE Project Delivery Team of the Year for Merit. PDT Members are listed below.

Andrea de la Peña Rodríguez PM CENWO-PM-SMaj Trevor Hopper PE CENAB-RS-E

Shelley Spayde PgM CENAB-PPMCarlen Capenos KO CENAB-CTBrian Dziekonski ACO CENWO-CD-RMNeal Parker RE/COR CENWO-CD-RM-DCorey Magstadt COR CENWO-CD-RM-DAlfred Scharff COR CENWO-CD-RM-DMark Wika ConRep CENWO-CD-RM-DTerry McLeod ConRep CENWO-CD-RM-DJoseph Caracillo ConRep CENWO-CD-RM-DJessie Miller OE CENWO-CD-RM-DFrank Kumley Electrical CENWO-CD-RM-DTim Powell Mechanical CENWO-CD-RM-DScott Vaninwagen Electrical CENWO-CD-RM-DCarol Parker Technician CENWO-CD-RM

Congratulations to all those who have recently been recognized with national awards. You are certainly leading by example in all that you do, and we appreciate your hard work.

Amy and I are immensely honored to serve as a small part of this great team of teams. We look forward to getting to know all of you better and learning from you. Thanks for all that you do for the Omaha District and the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers; it’s your hard work that has made this district truly great.

Essayons. John H. Henderson


MESSAGE FROM THE COMMANDER (CONTINUED FROM PG 1)

Over the past 36 years, Steve Rothe’s contribution to the Omaha District’s ecosystem restoration mission has been second to none. Drawing on his undergraduate and graduate-level education in Biology and experience as a Biology Teacher with the Peace Corps in Kenya, Steve launched his career with the Corps as an Environmental Resources Specialist in the Environmental Analysis Branch of the Omaha District’s Planning Division in 1979. After working on many diverse environmentally-related projects for 12 years, Steve transferred to the Plan Formulation Branch in 1991 as a Plan Formulator/Project Manager responsible for managing ecosystem restoration projects, including the first Section 206 (Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration) and first large-scale Section 1135

(Project Modifications for Improvement of the Environment) projects in the country.

As the Corps continued to ramp up its capability to implement the National Environmental Policy Act and related legislation in the 1970s, Steve was hired, sight unseen by the Environmental Analysis Branch Chief, to assist the District with assessing the impacts of its actions on the environment, in accordance with this ground-breaking legislation. Steve conducted environmental assessments for proposed oil and gas development and utility and pipeline projects, on federal land at the six Missouri River Mainstem Projects, and conducted Section 404(b)(1) analysis of Clean Water Act permit applications to ensure proposed work

OMAHA DISTRICT PROJECT MANAGER, STEVE ROTHE , RETIRES AFTER NEARLY

FOUR DECADESOF PUBLIC SERVICE

12 September 2015 |

SPOTLIGHT By JENNIFER SALAK, Outreach Specialist, Planning Branch

would not detrimentally affect water quality or the environment. Steve also assisted in assessing the biological and human environment in order to update the Fort Peck Master Plan, a document guiding the appropriate uses, development, enhancement, protection and conservation of natural, manmade and cultural resources at the Fort Peck Dam and Reservoir Project.

Also during his days in the Environmental Analysis Branch, Steve led several Section 22 (Planning Assistance to States) studies in 1989 and 1990, both sponsored by the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District (NRD). These studies identified several optimum locations and conceptual designs for ecosystem restoration projects along the Missouri River in six Nebraska

counties. The results of the Section 22 studies soon provided the Omaha District and the NRD with the groundwork to collaborate on implementing one of the studies’ identified projects. In 1991, the Corps received initial funding in its Section 1135 authority. That same year, Steve had transferred to the position of Plan Formulator/Project Manager in the Plan Formulation Branch, bringing with him the in-depth experience gained while working in the Environmental Analysis Branch. Under Steve’s leadership, the Boyer Chute project in Washington County, Nebraska became the first large-scale Section 1135 project in the Nation and the NRD’s first “Back to the River” project, an initiative aimed at getting the public reconnected with the Missouri River.

Left: Steve Rothe (pictured right) along with Marty Timmerwilke (USACE Plan Formulator, retired) at the Section 1135 California Bend habitat restoration project site, near Blair, Nebraska in 2003. Above: Rothe (at left) receives The Superior Civilian Service Award.(Photos by Harry Weddington)

Continued on page 10


SPOTLIGHT

In addition to the Boyer Chute project, which was awarded as the “Omaha District Planning Team of the Year” in 1994, Steve effectively managed portions or all of several other Section 1135 projects throughout his career. The Hidden Lake/Great Marsh project in Nebraska also was awarded “Planning Team of the Year” by the Omaha District.

Steve’s environmental expertise also allowed him to successfully lead several Section 206 projects, including the first one in the Nation, a wetlands project at Nathan’s Lake in Nebraska. Steve’s most recent study effort led to a Section 206 project along the Cache la Poudre River near Greeley, Colorado, and earned him Omaha District’s “Planner of the Year Award.” The team’s effort earned them the “Planning Team of the Year Award.” In true team leader fashion, upon learning of the awards Steve thanked all of his team members and provided them with accolades for their hard work and dedication. According to Dave Brandon, Chief of the Economic, Cultural Resources and Planning Quality Review Section of the Planning Branch, “not only has he been an exemplary team leader, but Steve has proven to be a patient and effective mentor for many less experienced Plan Formulators and Project Managers over the years. He is widely respected as the Senior Environmental Restoration Planner and one of the best writers and reviewers in the Omaha District.”

Steve also believed very strongly in the power of communication. As the Corps’ ecosystem restoration mission was developing and guidance for the Section 206 and 1135 authorities was evolving, Steve saw the need for increased communication between districts conducting this type of work. He identified staff members responsible for ecosystem restoration projects in each district and, with the help of Information Management, created a national listserve (CDL-ENVGroup) where members could ask questions and help each other navigate through new processes and guidance. At any one time, there were 200-250 members on the listserve which included District, Division and Headquarters-level staff. Eric Laux, Chief of the Environmental Resources and MRRP Plan Formulation Section, remembers how invaluable the tool was when he first

started his environmental career with the Corps in the late 90s. “At the time Steve developed the listserve, we didn’t have collaboration software or communities of practice, so this tool allowed people across the agency to come together and work through environmental issues and emerging guidance. He was really ahead of his time.”

Not only did Steve give 110 percent to the District as a Plan Formulator/Project Manager, but he volunteered for special assignments as well in order to improve the lives of others. He traveled with an Omaha District team to Swaziland in Africa for several weeks, to provide District support to a USAID mission investigating irrigation opportunities and impacts. Steve used his in-depth knowledge of biology and African culture, along with experience developing environmental assessments, to effectively look at the impacts of building a large-scale irrigation system consisting of dams and canals. His assessment included a detailed look at the impacts of bilharzia, a disease caused by parasites whose secondary hosts are snails, which commonly inhabit irrigation canals in tropical countries, posing a risk to the local people who also are drawn to those canals for water.

Steve’s passion for the environment didn’t stop with his Corps work. He also served on a Land Management Advisory Committee for Fontenelle Forest, a 1,400-acre forest that provides outdoor education opportunities in Bellevue, Nebraska. As part of his work with the Committee, Steve helped study the feasibility of various deer population control methods. Fontenelle Forest (now Fontenelle Nature Association) reviewed the Committee’s research, selected controlled hunting as the preferred method, reached out to the public, and began implementing a controlled hunt, which has now greatly improved the forest’s ecosystem.

For the past decade, Steve also served as a technical advisor to the Nebraska Environmental Trust (NET); while doing so, he drew upon others in the District for their expertise. The NET is a state program, funded by the lottery, dedicated to the preservation of Nebraska’s natural resources. As a

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SPOTLIGHT

technical advisor, Steve provided review and comments on whether projects seeking funding through the Environmental Trust were technically sound.

Whether it be his work for the Corps, his time spent with the Peace Corps and other federal agencies prior to the Corps, or his volunteer environmental work, Steve has been a true public servant to the Nation for close to 40 years. When asked about his time with the Corps, Steve responded, “I feel very honored to have worked for such a great agency with so many smart people. I’ve been coming to Planning on the 7th floor for over 30 years – it’s going to be a big change but I’m looking forward to retirement.” Steve’s retirement became effective September 30, 2015 and the new chapter in his life will include spending more time with family, gardening and traveling.


SPOTLIGHT

Andy C. TemeyerU.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Omaha District

June/2009 - Present

EXPERTISETechnical Designer, and Design Team Lead on a variety of Military and Civil Works projects. Primary responsibilities include professional analysis, development and administration of program, criteria, construction, and contract documents for the design of a wide variety of facilities ranging in scope and complexity....

RECENT TRAINING2015 - Americans with Disabilities Act Workshop/American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers Conference - La Vista, Neb. 2015 -Prospect Course #244 - Sustainable Military Building Design and Construction

EDUCATIONIowa State University Ames, Iowa Major: Architecture Honors: Magna Cum Laude Bachelor of Architecture Degree Professional Degree in Architecture.

LEADERSHIPAndy is an active member of the USACE/Industry Building Information Modeling (BIM) Consortium which develops products, criteria, policy and contract language for the integration of BIM within the USACE business process. He is routinely consulted on the status of BIM implementation within the district by district management and leadership.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT ARCHITECTURE?The thing I like most about architecture is the ability to work with a team of very skilled engineers, designers, and professionals to deliver high-performance and sustainable solutions. Working for USACE has been rewarding in that our customers are always agencies or entities that are worth supporting. That doesn’t occur everywhere in this industry. The opportunities within USACE to do interesting and unique projects all over the world are almost limitless.

bio

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CASTLE KEEP By JEREMY G. BELL, Visual Information Specialist

WHAT DO YOU FIND INTERESTING ABOUT ARCHITECTURE?My primary interests with regard to architecture are BIM and Sustainability. I co-teach Prospect course #244 Sustainable Military Building Design and Construction and sit on the USACE-Industry BIM Consortium. Our customers are demanding high-performance, sustainable design solutions. To that end, we need to align our design and delivery processes in a manner that gives us the best tools and metrics to deliver on those expectations.


CASTLE KEEP

BUILDING STRONG®

HispanicHeritage Month Sept 15 to Oct 15

Equal Employment Office

Mission:

The mission of the Equal Employement Opportunity and Equal Opportunity programs are to cultivate a diverse organizational culture where everyone is treated fairly, with dignity and respect!

Hispanic Heritage photos by Jeremy Bell

1616 Capitol Ave., Ste. 9000Omaha, NE 68102

Col. John W. Henderson Video game illustrates Omaha ...Check out this new video game…It’s fall and you’re in charge of scheduling water releases from two dams along an inland

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